Comelec to publish party-list nominees

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will publish the names of party-list nominees anytime this month to enable the public to scrutinize them.

According to Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes, the publication will be made regardless of the party-list group having been denied or granted accreditation to join the 2013 midterm polls.

“We want all the names published so that people can come and give us information regarding individual nominees. This will help in screening them,” said Brillantes.

There are 172 party-list organizations that have applied for accreditation and each of them had been required to submit the names of their five nominees. The figure does not include the 127 “existing” groups.

According to Brillantes, interested parties could file with the Comelec an opposition to a party-list group’s application for accreditation. The poll body can also disqualify a group on its own initiative.

Various sectors have claimed that the party-list system had been bastardized when it became a backdoor entry of some politicians, military and police officials and affluent individuals who want to have seats in the House of Representatives. Under the law, party-list groups are supposed to represent the marginalized and under-represented sectors of society and they are entitled to 20 percent of House seats.

To address the issue, Comelec issued Resolution 9513 yesterday for the automatic review by the full commission of the decisions of the agency’s First and Second Divisions granting accreditation to party-list groups. In its previous policy, a division’s decision can take effect unless it is questioned before the commission.